Judge orders Jesica Cirio to surrender phone in $10 million dollar probe

Federal Judge Luis Armella has ordered Argentine television presenter Jesica Cirio to appear within 24 hours to surrender her mobile phone for examination. The phone is believed to contain video evidence of Cirio with stacks of U.S. dollars, estimated to total around $10 million.

This development is part of an ongoing investigation into alleged illicit enrichment by Martín Insaurralde, Cirio's former husband and former mayor of Lomas de Zamora. Cirio herself is being investigated as a potential participant in the alleged crime. The investigation gained momentum after photos surfaced on Instagram in 2023 showing Insaurralde and his companion, Sofía Clérici, on a yacht in Marbella.

Federal prosecutor Sergio Mola has requested further evidence, including the seven videos of dollar bundles that were recently made public by the newspaper LA NACION. A key piece of evidence currently being prepared is an accounting analysis of Insaurralde's assets, aiming to precisely determine his expenses and properties. This analysis involves 75 points to be examined by experts from the Supreme Court of Justice, in agreement with the prosecutor and the defense teams for Insaurralde, Cirio, and Clérici.

There is ongoing tension between Judge Armella and Prosecutor Mola regarding the scope of the accounting analysis. The prosecution seeks to include the assets of Insaurralde's second wife in the examination, a move initially considered but later excluded. The judge rejected the prosecutor's appeal on this matter, and the case is now before the La Plata Chamber for a decision on the perimeters of the analysis.

Meanwhile, the emergence of videos showing bundles of U.S. dollars has added weight to the prosecution's case. Insaurralde has previously attempted to justify some of his wealth by citing Cirio's income, submitting invoices for the construction of his house in Cirio's name and a receipt indicating she gave him $250,000 and $2,000,000 at the beginning of 2023. He used these claims to explain expenses that the court questioned, including his week-long trip to Marbella and yacht excursions with Clérici.